DYSLEXIA GROUP FORMED

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32869, 18 March 1972, Page 15

DYSLEXIA GROUP FORMED

“There are people, including some eminent psychologists, who say there is no such thing as dyslexia,” said the chairman of the newly-formed Dyslexia Association of New Zealand (Mr C. Martin), at the inaugural meeting held at the Cathedral Grammar School on Wednesday evening.

Mr Martin told the meeting of about 60 people, some from as far away as Blenheim and Dunedin, that the word dyslexia is often used loosely or misunderstood.

The word was defined by the World Federation of Neurologists in 1968 as “a disorder in children, who, despite conventional classroom experience, fail to attain the language skills of reading, writing and spelling commensurate with their intellectual abilities,” he said. Only children with difficulties which persisted when efficient educational help was provided could be regarded as dyslexic, he added. The aims of the association are to promote a greater awareness of the problem, to encourage research, to hold discussions and study groups to assist parents and to get more teachers trained in remedial reading. The association will publish a newsletter every three to four months.

The meeting decided to fix membership fees at $4 a

member. In the case of a married couple the fees will be $2 a person and the couple will have one vote.

Officers elected were:—President, Mr C. Martin; treasurer, Mr G.'Avery; secretary, Mr P. Valder; committee, Drs N. S. McLeod, M. Matsas and J. A. Seabrook, Bro. D. Keane, Miss C. J. Musgrave, Mesdames H. O. Baldwin, E. S. J. Crutchley, B. Nelson, E. Gray, A. C. Larnble and S. Kingston, and Mr P. R. Mulligan.